Rolling bearings made of plastic have already been known for some considerable time for various applications, as evidenced by DE 19 01 381 A, DE 24 50 321 A, DE 68 00 671 U, DE 71 42 627 U, DE 74 07 839 U, DE 94 11 276 U1 and DE 102 20 419 A1.
A rolling bearing formed like the type in question is known from DE 22 34 984 A. As disclosed by the description and the single FIGURE, the inner bearing ring comprises two ring halves of identical shape made of plastic, the parting plane of which extends normal to the axis. At least three latching members protruding beyond this parting plane are produced in one piece with each of the ring parts. In each ring part there is a respective recess between these latching members, which recesses are dimensioned and arranged in such a way that the latching members lie in them without any play when the ring parts are pushed axially together. After yielding on account of their elasticity, the latching members thereby engage with hooks attached to their free ends behind latching areas, which are provided in an axially normal sense in the recesses, so that the two ring parts are held in abutment and form the inner bearing ring as a unit.
A disadvantage of this is that the latching elements must absorb radial and axial forces as well as tipping moments within the split bearing ring. This has the consequence that the latching elements on the one hand must be elastic, to make it possible for them to snap easily into place, but on the other hand must also have great stiffness, to allow forces to be absorbed at all. Forming the latching elements in this way, i.e. both very flexible and very stiff, is a paradox, because increasing the size of the latching elements in the circumferential direction has the effect of impairing their flexibility. It is also disadvantageous that the latching elements described in this prior publication cannot rule out play between the two inner ring halves, which has adverse effects on the bearing arrangement.